Game



May 25, 1943. J. F. BRUNEAU 7 2,319,917

I GAME Filed April 24, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 5 I I JACQUES F. BEUNEAU 26 BY fizm/z A TORN E Y.

May 25, 1943.

J. F. BRUNEAU GAME Filed April 24. 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JACQUES F BEUNEAU ATT RNEY..

May 25, 1943; J. F.IBIQUNEAU GAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aprii 24, 1941 INVENTOR.

' JACQUES E BEUNEAU A RNEY.

Patented May 25, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME Jacques ,F. Bruneau, Hagerstown, Md.

Application April 24, 1941, Serial No. 390,094

4. Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in games of the type utilizing ten pins and a suspended ball which may be swung relative to the pins.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a portable bowling type game whereby some of the parts constituting the supporting base of the game may be folded into compact relation with each other to produce a container for carrying the remaining parts of the game.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable bowling game embodying a base and a tripod constituting separable parts with some of said parts having connecting means interconnected with parts which support the base in operative position.

Another object is to provide a base with foldable parts Which-are so dimensioned and proportioned as to produce a supporting base and positional means for the various parts of the game which, when folded relativ to each other, will produce a casing or container for the separable parts of the game with the said base having interconnecting positional means for locating the various parts of the gamefin operative position relative to each other. e

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and it will be apparent that many changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit, of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described as the preferred forms only have been given by way of illustration.

Referring to the drawings: 7

Fig. I is a perspective view of the base having its parts folded in compact, relation with each other to form the conveying container;

Fig. II is a perspective view showing the various parts of the game in assembled relation with each other and with the base ready for use;

Fig. III is a slightly enlarged sectional view taken as on line ILL-III of Fig. I and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. IV is a slightly enlarged perspective view of the base with the parts shown in full lines assembled in position of use when the game is being played and showing some of the parts folded relative to each other preparatory to forming the carrying container of the game;

"Fig. V is a slightly enlarged sectional view taken as on line V-V with the full line indicating the position of the parts when utilized as a supporting base for the game and diagrammatically illustrated by dot and dash lines how the parts are folded relative to each other to complete the carrying container;

Fig. VI is a plan view of the pin supporting plate;

Fig. VII is a sectional View through thepin supporting plate taken as on line V1IVII of Fig. VI illustrating a fragmentary portion of the base having interconnecting positional means for locating the plate in operative position of use;

Fig. VIII is a side elevation of the plate illustrated in Fig. VI showing the said plate in full lines in extended position and in dash lines in folded position;

Fig. IX is an enlarged sectional view as on line IX-IX of Fig. IV;

Fig. X is a fragmentary perspective view i1- lustrating part of the interconnecting means of the bottom of the base; V i

Fig. XI is an enlarged view of the tripod-like ball-supporting means; and

Fig.,XII is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the connection of the tripods with the connection bolts of the sides and bottom of the supporting base.

The invention resides particularly in the provision of a collapsible bowling game embodying a ball suspended for swinging movement for engagement with the pins with the various parts dimensioned so that the sections of the tripod may be separated and the said sections, ten pins, and pin supporting plate may be placed in compact relation with each other with the parts of the supporting base being folded relative to each other to produce a container in which the various parts of the game may be conveyed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate lik parts throughout the several views the invention comprises a base having a bottom I formed, as shown in Fig. V, of a plurality of sections 2, 3, 4 and 5 adapted to lie in a single plane with the longitudinal edges of the respective sections in adjacent relation with each other to produce the effect of a continuous base I. The said sections 2, 3, 4 and 5 are provided with a continuous cloth or canvas covering 6 which is secured thereto :by suitable adhesive or other means and which, adjacent the various adjoining longitudinal edges 1, 8 and 9 of said parts,

taken produce hinge means whereby the various sections may be folded relative to each other.

The section 2 is provided on three of its sides with vertical wall members III, II and I2 which are fixedly secured to said section 2 and to each. other to produce an open box-like portion I3. The function of said open box-like portion I3 will be described more in detail hereinafter. It is particularly pointed out that the vertical wall I2 is of a greater height than the end walls I and II and is provided with a narrow strip I4 on the inner side wall thereof located substantially flush with the upper edges of the end walls I9 and II. The said end walls I6 and H each have side members I5 and I6 hinged thereto as illustrated at I1. The said side members I5 and I6, when in position of use, are normally extended so as to lie substantially in the. same plane as the end walls In and Hand si-.

multaneously be disposed substantially flush with theredges of the sections 3, 4 and 5' asillustrated irrFig; IV. It isp articularly pointed out that thesections I9 and II *are provided with similarlyreversely cut edge portions I8 to provide-overlapping interfitted ends with the said edge out in the portions) and II being inwardly of the longitudinal'edge I9 of the section 2 with. the hinge 'pivot'also positioned'inwardly of said longitudinal edge I9, as illustrated in Fig. V; so as toii permit the side members I5 and I6 to; bejfolded insuperimposed relation with each other inwardlyof said longitudinal edge I9 and; against a stop bar 26 secured to 131163311 jacent top portion of the section 2.

The said side members I5 and I6;as shown in Figs.;IV;,Vand 1X, are-provided with connecting bolts-2| extending throughout the width of said side members and the said sectionfi' is provided with recesses 22, see Figs. IX and X; adapted to receive the body 23 of the-bolts 2| with'the heads 24 of saidibolts overlying; the *bottom surface 25 of =said;section. The" bolts 2| are provided with suitable wing nuts 26 -by means of which the heads 2410f the-bolts may be drawn into binding relation with the section 5 and secure said section in intimate relation with the side members I5 and IB; The said-bolts-2I, in addition to functioningasmeans for'securing the-side members in proper position relative to the various sections- 3,- 4 and 5. also function'as attaching means to which the tripod members 21, 28 and. 29lmayflbe secured 'see Figs..II and XII. Theltrjipodlmembers fl, 28 and 29 each respectively. comprise two .sections 3|] and 3Ifitted and supported, in-longitudinal relation with each other by telescopic connections 32. The said telescopicuc'onnectionsmay be similar to those of theconnectionsof afish rod or may comprise a. metallic sleeve 33 secured to the respective sections 3| by a pin or. other suitable. means 34 with the adjac ent ends of the various sections 36 being slidably fitted or interconnected with the protrudingportion of the sleeves 32, see Fig, XI; The lower, ends of said tripod members 21, 2 8 and 29 are eachprovided with a metallic sleeve 35w hich is; swedged to form protruding fiattenedsections 36 having slotted end portions 31 which' are" deflected in a sidewise direction, as illustrated in Fig. XILso as to be fitted beneath'thfe' wing nuts 26 so as to be clamped thereby'when the side members I5 and I6 are secured to the -base'section5. The said sleeve sections 351rnay-be' secured to the ends'of the tripod members" by adhesive or suitable pins or the like 38. -"The upper ends of said tripod members 21,

28 and 29 are respectively provided with sleeve sections 39 having perforated flattened portions 40 through which a connection bolt 4| extends. Suitable spacer members 42 are positioned between the flattened sections 49 to hold them in desired spaced relation With each other. The said tripod sections are adapted to pivot on the connection bolt 4| and are then secured in frictional binding relation with each other by a suitable wing nut 43 on the bolt 4|. In addition to joining the various perforated ends 40 the said connection bolt 4| also functions as means for supporting a positional rod 44 to which a suitable ball 45 is suspended by a cord 46. The positional rod is provided with an end member 41 simulating the end members 40 of the tripod members and is pivotally connected at 48 to the connection bolt 4|. This positional rod may be swung in a sidewise direction for the purpose of initially locating the ball 45 in alignment with a locating spot or the like 49 formed on the base I. It is held in adjusted position by tightening the wing nut 43. The cord 46 is attached to the positional rod by a suitable eyelet or the like 56. The sections 4 and 5 of the base I, as illustrated in Figs. IV, V and VIvare provided with positional openings 5| located to one side of a medial line 52, see Figs. II and IV, adapted to receive suitable projections 53 protruding from the bottom of a pin supporting plate 54. The plate 54 is formed of two sections, 55 and 56, having a bottom cloth or canvascovering or the like 51 secured thereto to form a suitable hinge 58 along the dividing line 59 between the two sections to permit the sections 55 and 56 to be folded relative to each other as illustrated by the dash lines 66 in Fig. VIII. The purpose of this ar-. rangement is to reduce the overall dimension of the board when folded so that it may be placed internally of the container formed by folding the various parts of the base relative to each other as will be described more in detail hereinafter. The sections 55 and '56 are provided with circular inserts 6|, preferably black in color, on

which the pins 62 are adapted to be positioned.

Instead of Y providing the pin supporting plate with inserts 6| suitable locationspots may be painted or otherwise formed thereon; When the pins 53 are engaged in-the openings 5| the pin supporting plate is automatically located in desired position on the base which, in this particular instance, is to the left side of the medial line 52, as shown in Figs. II and IV. When playing the game resulting from the assembly described above the ball 45 is first aligned with a location spot 49 on the base I. The various pins 62 are positioned on the locating spots 6|. The player, whose normal position of play is in the rear of the side wall I2 of theopen box-like portion I3, then grasps the ball 45 drawing it rearwardly so as to overlie the area between the stop bar 20 and the vertical wall I2. The ball is then released so as to be permitted to swing to the right of the medial line along a path simulating the path indicated by the dash and arrow line 63, see Fig. IV. The ball 45 suspended by the cord 46, when released within the area specified above, is adapted to swing forwardly along the path 63 and then return in a path described by the arc of the swing to engage the pins'supported by the pin carrying plate. The side members I5 and I6 are adapted to retain the pins which have been knocked over by the ball on the base with the said open box-like portion I3 functioning as catching means for the'pins and also functioning as the initial area .in whichthe ball must be retained before being released to swing with the .cord 4'6.

The game is then playedby following the rules simulating the standard rules 'for'bowlingexcept that two tries with the ball areallotted the player to each box with ten boxes being played by each player to constitute the game. The player knocking down the most pins, with two trials to each box with the total of ten boxes constituting the game, wins. To dissemble the game the various wing nuts 26 and the wingnut 43 are first loosened. The slotted ends 31 are then do- 'tached from the bolts 2|. The sections 30 and 3| are then separated at the telescope connections 32 and the upper sections 3| are folded in compact relation :with each other and with the various lower sections 30 :and placed within the open box-like portion 13. The various pins 62 are also placed within said box-like portion l3 and the pin plate is then lifted from its connection with the base I, the sections 55 and 56 are then folded relative to each other and are also placed'in the box-like portion l3. The body portions 23 of the bolts 2| are then disengaged from the recesses 22 and the bolts are drawn upwardly of the side members I and Hi. The said side members are then folded in superimposed relation with each other as illustrated in Fig. IV against the stop bar 20 and assume a position inwardly of the box-like portion I3 and the longitudinal edge ill of the section 2. The section 5 is then folded over the section 4, as illustrated by the dash lines in Fig. V, and by the full lines in Fig. III, with the said section 5 being slightly narrower than the section '4. The said superposed sections 4 and 5 and the section 3 are then drawn upwardly to move the said sections to the dash line positions illustrated in Fig. IV. The section 3 being of a width slightly less than the upright l2, when in the raised position indicated by the dash lines in Fig, V, is adapted to form the bottom of the carrying container. The said sections 4 and 5, as illustrated by the dash lines 4' and 5' in Fig. V, are then folded downwardly into engagement with the narrow strip I4 which functions as a stop member for eating the said sections 4 and 5 in desired position relative to the upright 12 thereby forming a side wall simulating the side wall formed by the section 2. When in this position suitable clamp members or the like 64 pivotally attached at B5 to the portion l2 are then moved over the sections IV and V to hold the parts in assembled relation with each other. The member 12 is provided with a suitable handle 66 by which the container may be easily conveyed. In this manner, the complete game may be easily carried from house to house and may be quickly and easily assembled with the said parts of the container producing the various parts of the base as set forth above and also functioning as means for supporting the tripod and pin plate while producing the various divided areas constituting the limits within which the game must be placed.

A suitable hook-like member 61 is attached to one of the uprights 30 to provide means to which the cord 46 may be attached when the pins 62 are being placed on the pin supporting plate.

As shown in Fig. XII the deflected ends 68 and 69 of the flattened portion 36 having the slot 3'! therein are formed of resilient material and are positioned one above the other so as to be compressed by the thumb nut 26. This causes a frictional resilient binding with the nut 28 to prevent loosening thereofduring use.

Thebailfi may or .may not be provided with an internal weight member 10, as desired.

The various parts 2, 3, 4 and 5 including the end member I2 and the side portions I0, ll, l5 and I6, when extended, produce a trough-like base for confining the pins 62 within the area of the base when they are struck by the ball member 45. The said base 'I is-divided into three distinct areas; namely, H, 12 and 13. The areas H and" are divided by the medial line 52 which extends through the aligning point 49 for the initial suspended position of the ball 45. The area 1| constitutes the portion of the base in which the pin supporting plate is located. The area 12 constitutes a clearance area for the swing of the ball during play and the area 73 constitutes the initial starting area from which the ball is to be swung, that is, the ball must be held within said area prior to being released to engage the pins. The area 13 also functions as an area in which the pins which have been. knocked down by the ball may be placed during play.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple, eificient and economical means have been provided for producing a game of the above character and for rendering it possible to convey or store the game when not in use.

The various parts of the device are so proportioned as to produce a container and yet, when the parts are open for use, produce the desired areal limits and positioning of parts in proper relation with each other for playing the game.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A base for a portable bowling type game comprising an open box-like portion constituting a relatively long and narrow main bottom section having its opposed ends and one longitudinal side thereof provided with vertically disposed side walls, a plurality of relatively long and narrow sections hingedly connected with each other along their contiguous longitudinal edges and with the longitudinal edge of the main bottom section on the side thereof opposite the longitudinal side wall, said plurality of relatively long and narrow sections being movable to a position disposed in the plane of said main bottom section and being foldable relative to each other and relative to said main box-like portion, a pair of side members, one hingedly connected to each of the free ends of the vertical end walls of the main box-like portion, foldable to a position in overlapping relation with each other in the direction of the adjacent longitudinal edge of the main bottom section and extendable to lie substantially along the opposed edges of the long and narrow sections when disposed in the plane of the main bottom section and means for connecting said side members to at least one of said long and narrow section when extended.

2. A base for a portable bowling type game comprising an open box-like portion constituting a relatively long and narrow main bottom section having its opposed ends and one longitudinal sidethereof provided with vertically disposed side walls, a plurality of relatively long and narrow sections hingedly connected with each other along their contiguous longitudinal edges and with the longitudinal edge of the main bottom section on the side thereof opposite the longitudinal side wall, said lurality of relatively long and narrow sections being movable to a position disposed in the plane of said main bottom section and being foldable' relative to eachother and relative to said main box-like portion, a pair of side members, one hingedly connected to each of the free ends of the vertical end walls of the main box-like portion, foldable to a position in overlapping relation with each other in the direction of the adjacent longitudinal edge of the main bottom section and extendable to lie substantially along the opposed edges of the long and narrow sections when disposed in the plane of the main bottom section, means for connecting said side members to at least one of said long and narrow section when extended and pin locating means on said hingedly connected sections, when disposed in the plane of the main bottom section, on which a plurality of pins may be placed.

3. A base for a portable bowling type game comprising an open box-like portion. constituting a relatively long and narrow main bottom section having its opposed ends and one longitudinal; side thereof provided with vertically disposed side walls, a plurality of relatively long and narrow sections hingedly connected with each other along their contiguous longitudinal edges and with the longitudinal edge of the main bottom section on the side thereof opposite the longitudinal side wall, said plurality of relatively long and narrow sections being movable to a position disposedin the plane of said main bottom section and being 'foldable relative .to each other and relative to said main box like portion, a pair of side members, one hingedly connected to each of the free ends of the vertical end walls of the main box-like portion, foldable to a position in overlapping relation with each other in the direction of the adjacommon point of connection by a flexible cord and pin locating means on said hingedly con- -nected sections when said sections are disposed in the plane of the main bottom section on which a plurality of pins may be placed to be engaged by the suspended ball.

4. A base for a portable bowling type game comprising an open boxlike portion constituting a relatively long and narrow main bottom section having its opposed ends and one longitudinal side thereof provided with vertically disposed side walls, a plurality of relatively long and narrow sections hingedly connected with each other along their contiguous longitudinal edges and with the longitudinal edge of the main bottom section on the side thereof opposite the longitudinal side wall, said plurality of relatively long and narrow sections being movable to a position disposed in the plane of said main bottom section and being foldable relative to each other and relative to said main-box-like portion, a pair of side members, one hingedly connected to each of the free ends of the vertical end walls of the main box-like portion, foldable to a position in overlapping rela tion with each other in the direction of the adjacent longitudinal edge of the main bottom section and extendable to lie substantiallyalong the opposed edges of the long and narrow sections when disposed in the plane of the main bottom section, means for connecting said side members to at least one of said long and narrow sections when extended, a tripod having two of its uprights attached to one of said side members and the other of its uprights attached to the other of said side members with the upper ends of said uprights hingedly connected with each other at a common point of connection, a ball suspended from said commonpoint of connection by a flexible cord, the base resulting from said narrow section being disposed in the plane of the main bottom section having means dividing the area thereof into two substantially equal portions and pin locating means in one of said portions of said areas on which pins may be placed-to be engaged by the suspended ball.

' JACQUES F. BRUNEAUV 

